


Zhuh Tah Door

by undersail2013



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Car Fic, French, Love talk, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-10
Updated: 2014-02-10
Packaged: 2018-01-11 20:42:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1177702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/undersail2013/pseuds/undersail2013
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cas teaches Dean French</p>
            </blockquote>





	Zhuh Tah Door

In the wee hours on a long lonely stretch of highway, Dean’s flagging. Cas hasn’t said a word in miles, and since Dean let him pick the music, he hasn’t heard one song yet that he’s recognized. Maybe if he had some Zep, something he could belt out, he could keep his eyes open until Colorado, but he’s beat.

“Je,” Cas says suddenly.

“Zhuh?” Dean repeats.

“Je.” A nod. “T’a.”

“Tah.”

“Dore.”

“What is this, a spell? This doesn’t sound like Enochian.”

“It’s French,” Castiel replies, almost, almost miffed. Maybe a little arrogant. “Dore,” he repeats, blurring the last consonant in the back of his throat.

“Door.”

“Je t’adore.”

“Zhuh tah door. What’s that mean?”

“The traditional English translation is ‘I adore you.’”

“Zhuh tah door,” Dean muses. “I like that.” He clears his throat. “Uh, what, uh, what made you think of it?” he asks, swinging and missing at casually. 

Dean has to take his eyes off the road for the response and only just catches a tiny smile on the angel’s face.

Ignoring the question, Cas replies, “One day, perhaps, I’ll teach you ‘je t’aime,’” the sly smile fixed now on Dean, along with the full power of Castiel’s eyes.

“Zhuh tem,” he repeats, trying out the sounds. Dean has an idea what that might mean, if only from the context of _that look_ on Cas’ face. “What is ‘zhuh tem?’”

“Another time.”

“Cas, please. Zhuh tem.”

He sighs, not the usual exasperation. More like mocking, with just a hint of satisfaction. “The word ‘aimer’ is often translated as _eros._ ”

“Love.”

“You are capable of saying it.” It comes out as sarcasm, but there’s a bit of a bite to it. 

Dean rolls his eyes and laughs, loosening some of the tension in his stomach. He hadn’t realized how tied up in knots he’d been until the chuckle roiled through him. “Zhuh tem.”

“Good. You pick up languages quickly. Must be all the Latin and-”

“No, listen: zhuh tem.”

“’Tu m’aimes?’” he whispers.

“Um.”

Cas hesitates. Peers at Dean, eyes slightly squinty, brow furrowed. Cautiously, he replies, “You love me.”

Dean sucks in a deep breath. He says nothing for a moment or two, now blinking rapidly, now frowning. Several times, he opens his mouth to speak and closes it again, buttoned shut with a tooth to his lower lip.

 

Castiel’s angelic nature gives him nearly infinite patience, but Dean’s reticence stretches his capacity to stay silent. He’s said the wrong thing. “Dean, I’m sor-”

“Yes.”

Cas frowns. “Yes?”

“You asked, and I’m answering. Yes.”

“You love me.”

“Don’t make me take it back. Fucking yes.”

It strikes Cas speechless, the thought that his nascent emotions might be reciprocated.

“Do you?” Dean asks, quietly, nervously.

This time there is no hesitation. “I do, Dean.” 

Dean exhales loudly.

“I assumed it was different for an angel. A being born of the pure love of God. I loved you instantly, Dean. I loved you from the depths of oceans to the stars to the nexus of the universes. And that was merely the love I might have for a brother or any earthly creature. I certainly felt that way about the bees. They truly are remarkable beings.” Dean made a noise, and Cas continued. “It is different now, Dean. You came to be special to me. I love you more widely than I love other creatures. I don’t expect you to love as I do. But I have seen you love like us, with your whole self. From your very soul.”

Dean withdraws. He stares at the road for a long time. Lost in thought. 

Castiel stays.

As the sun peeks over the horizon, Dean stirs. “I’m not sure what I should say. I’ll probably say the wrong thing and fuck everything up, but uh. I see what you mean. I’ll never understand angels. But you, you I think I understand.” He smiles Cas’ direction. “You love me. I get it. And well, for what it’s worth, I guess I, uh, I, uh.” He scratches the back of his neck. “Zhuh tah door. Okay. Zhuh tem. You’re uh.” He blows out a shaky breath. “You’re kinda the love of my fucking life, you asshole.”

They share a laugh at that.

“I need you, Cas.”

Cas beams. “I love you, too, Dean.”


End file.
